


By The Seaside

by flyingwargle



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Versions
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Slice of Life, i love steven stone that's the whole fic, it's honestly just a mishmash of things, my first attempt at publishing pkmn fanfiction, steven stone doing steven stone things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27097846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingwargle/pseuds/flyingwargle
Summary: In which Steven is forced to buy a house.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	By The Seaside

“Out of all the rash decisions you’ve made,” Wallace drawled, “this might be the most beneficial.”

He said this while seated at a solid-oak table on top of a plush crimson rectangular rug. Empty glass display cases lined the walls, a fireplace in the center of the living room. A bar separated the open kitchenette from the larger space, and a washroom was tucked into the corner. Steven climbed down the ladder that led to the loft, sleeves rolled up, weary expression dulling his teal eyes. He joined his friend and gulped down the rest of his tea.

“I didn’t have another choice. I honor my losses, although this one left a hefty hole in my savings.” He sighed and emptied the teapot into his cup. “I won’t be able to buy the gear that I’ve had my eye on until next month.”

“Good. That’ll give you some time to reconsider your hobbies.”

“You’re saying that now, after a decade?”

Wallace gave him a demure smile and spun to his feet. “All I’m saying is that you could surrender the dirt and rock for the spotlight any day. I’m sure you and Metagross could pull off amazing combinations if you put your heart into it-“

“No.”

“It was just a suggestion, like this house of yours.” Wallace collected his dishes and sauntered over to the kitchenette. “Should we make it a challenge instead?”

“I have a monthly limit, and this one’s enough to last me the entire year.” He couldn’t complain though; whereas purchasing a new house, buying furniture, and arranging them was a dream for many, to him, it was simply, something he had said he would do but never bothered or delayed until he ended up in a situation like this.

It started off innocently – subtle remarks that the Pokémon League’s HQ was not a storeroom; jokes that he should start a museum or rent a storage; comments about his vast collection and how there was no way he’d realize if something went missing. Then, came the physical indications – emails with links to property listings or open gallery slots; discussions with the cleaning staff on how to rearrange the storeroom so everyone would be happy; and almost every meeting altogether somehow came back to his collection. Sidney eventually put his foot down and challenged the Champion, demanding that upon his loss, he had to relocate his minerals elsewhere.

The man didn’t even challenge him to a battle – it was over Mario Kart. Despite Phoebe’s coaching, Steven still lost, and he blamed it on the fact that the Elite Four member was Hoenn’s best Mario Kart player. He also decided to never take on challenges that weren’t Pokémon battles, unless it was a challenge of geological intellect.

There were dozens of listings all over the region, but he settled on this cottage in Mossdeep City. It was by the cliffs that overlooked Route 125, at the end of the dirt path that faded into overgrown grass and wildflowers. Mossdeep was convenient since it was close to Ever Grande and Lilycove, and the city itself was a hub of activity. As he sat with his tea, he felt the salty breeze whisk through the opened windows, the calls of Wingull and Pelipper mingled with the muffled hubbub of the main plaza. A peculiar sense of peace washed over him, one that was different from the calm and marvel that graced him from his suite on Ever Grande. This was his own space that he could come to any time, no matter where he was.

“Steven? You didn’t hear me, did you?” Wallace’s indignant accusation snapped him out of his thoughts. His friend stood in front of him, hands on his hips. “I said, we should throw a housewarming party.”

“What? No. No, that’s…” Steven trailed off. He turned away when Wallace continued to glare at him. “I don’t think that’s necessary. I bought this because of a challenge I lost, not because of my own choice. If anything, you should throw a party for Sidney for being successful in getting my collection out of the storeroom.”

Besides, the fewer people that knew, the better. The media was respectful of its League members’ privacy, but all it took was one fan to ruin the precarious relationship. The Elite Four only needed to know the general location. If they needed him, they could call or bother him when he was at HQ.

After a pause, Wallace pulled back. “Fine. I’ll give him a call and see when everyone else is free. I have to go back to the Gym – are you staying here?”

Steven nodded, and walked his friend out. He stood by the cliff with his hands in his pockets, blinking at the ocean. Water was the same everywhere else yet it was able to look different when in another location or observed at an angle. His suite faced the southside so all he saw was the endless depths that stretched beyond the region’s confines. Here, he could see the sprawling metropolis that was Lilycove, ferries that traveled here and there, and plenty of Trainers in action. Life went on, as he often forgot it had.

This might not be such a terrible decision, after all.

* * *

In spite of what Steven insisted, Wallace threw a housewarming party at HQ’s lounge. Steven suspected his friend simply wanted an excuse to gather everyone together, but he was thankful for the opportunity, nonetheless. Sidney even gifted him a Nintendo Switch and a copy of Mario Kart, which Steven kept at the cottage to prevent himself from playing in his downtime. Sleep was more important.

He found himself at the cottage over the weekends. Weekdays were reserved for work and travel, whether that was doing inspections or media appearances, or excavating tunnels and caves to add to his collection. Nearly all the minerals were out of the storeroom and displayed in his living room, with a few exceptions (“You can’t expect me to move this thousand-pound ore anywhere else, Sidney.”), as well as tomes and ancient documents that he would be able to decipher in private. Every weekend felt like a miniature getaway, something that he looked forward to at the end of each week.

Mossdeep was a lovely city – not as crowded as Rustboro, and not as isolated as Ever Grande. It attracted tourists because of the Space Center, Trainers because of the Gym, and outdoor enthusiasts because of the unexplored waves and nearby Shoal Cave (which he hadn’t returned to since his initial expedition). The residents were respectful and engaged with him whenever he was at the market or square. None of them seemed nonplussed that the Champion of Hoenn stopped by every single weekend, except for two.

“You’re back again!” Steven turned from his inspection of a berry stall at a pubescent declaration. Tate ran up to him, Liza close on his heels. “Are you really just here to buy berries? Are you here doing something else? If it’s got something to do with the Gym, you have to tell us!”

“Tate, don’t be rude,” Liza admonished him. She bowed apologetically to Steven. “I’m sorry about my brother. He’s a huge fan of yours.”

“You, too!” Tate retorted. “Who has a poster of him in her room, huh?”

“I’ve already inspected your Gym last week,” Steven said, in an attempt to stop their bickering, “and yes, I am just here to buy some berries. I heard fresh berries are great for making Pokémon food and I wanted to see what’s available.”

Liza turned to him. “Wow! I didn’t know a Champion would make his own Pokémon food.”

“It’s important for a Trainer to know what their Pokémon likes and make food that they’ll enjoy,” he told her. “All Pokémon need different nutrients to grow, so by making it yourself, you can help them grow the best you can.”

“That’s cool! We should try it ourselves, right, Tate?”

Her brother folded his arms. “Sounds boring. I thought the Champion’d go out and train instead of playing in the kitchen.”

“Caring for your Pokémon is part of training, too. Why don’t you two come over and help me? That way, you’ll also learn how to make your own for your Pokémon, too.”

“Can we?” Liza exclaimed. “Yes, please!”

That was how the two psychic twins ended up becoming one of Steven’s highlights on his weekend getaway, aside from having access to his Switch.

* * *

A blanket of stars stretched across a clear sky. Steven sat cross-legged over the grass to blink at the beacons of light in the distance, indicating pockets of civilization. Metagross settled beside him, Skarmory crouched on the other side. The city slumbered behind them while the waves continued their endless motion. The trio watched the stars together.

He closed his eyes. He developed a habit to spend the night here before a scheduled battle as a way to quell his nerves and regain his composure. It felt like a reward after rigorous training to remind his partners what a serious battle felt like, although he should stop sneaking out at midnight in exchange for a fuller rest. Moments of beauty could not always be found during the day; hidden gems like these were only available to those who sought them out.

Metagross hummed softly to catch his attention. Steven glanced at it, hearing its concern. “I’m always nervous before a battle. I don’t think I ever won’t be.” Skarmory cawed, and he turned toward him. “Yes, I’ll go to bed soon. You didn’t have to stay with me.”

His partners protested, and he chuckled quietly. Leaning against Metagross’s leg, Steven raised a hand to point out the constellations, just like when he was a Trainer, too anxious to sleep before a Gym battle, accompanied by his Pokémon. Some things would never change.

He lowered his hand and pushed himself up to his feet. His partners looked up expectantly. “We’ve got a battle tomorrow,” he said. “Well, later in the afternoon. We’ve got to get our rest.”

Back into their Poké Balls they went. Steven returned to his cottage, but before he stepped inside, he stole a look at the ocean over his shoulder. A wave of gratitude overcame him, and he smiled to himself as he headed for his bed.

Once the battle was over, he had to treat Sidney to dinner, or perhaps entertain him with another round of Mario Kart.

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my first attempt at writing pokemon for canon characters (I've done oc things for myself, never published). I was inspired to write something after reading [the long road](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10383996/chapters/22933440) and let's face it - you can never have enough Steven. hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
